Tag: Immigrants

Inviting foreign workforce without humane immigration laws will be another decade of miseries and frustrations

Internationals at a demonstration against the anti-immigrants rules out side Danish Parliament. Photo: Raisul Jhilan

Danish companies have been complaining of labour shortages over the years. The Confederation of Danish Industry (DI) in their 2018 survey outlined that 6 out of 10 Danish companies struggle to find employees. 60% of Danish companies in need of new employees have difficulty finding them says the report. The April 2021 report of Boston Consulting Group revealed that there will be nearly 100,000 employees shortage by 2030 for the green jobs in Denmark. Danfoss, a leading Danish manufacturer of green products is already struggling to provide manpower to produce the company’s green products.

“It has become clearly more difficult, and we are already fighting today to get the best candidates. We need to be very active and proactive to ensure the right competencies at all levels,” says Danfoss CEO Kim Fausing. Similarly, The Economic Council of the Labour Movement (Arbejderbevægelsens Erhvervsråd AE) has also emphasized in their last year publication that Denmark will be missing 99,000 skilled workers by 2030 and plans needs to be placed now to counter these shortages.

Dansk Energi, an interest organization for energy companies in Denmark which has more than 60 member companies from the energy sector, also anticipate that there will be massive labour shortages of skilled workers if we have to reduce CO2 by 70 per cent by 2030

Read more: Danmark risikerer at mangle 100.000 grønne job i 2030: “Det vil være decideret tragisk”

Welfare is another sector where there is an acute demand for labour. The Association of Public Employees (Forbundet af Offenligt Ansatte FOA) in their 2020 report warned that there will be a shortage of 40,000 Social and Health (SOSU) workers by 2029. On the other hand, the Danish Nurses’ Council (Dansk Sygeplejeråd) anticipated in 2018 that there will be a shortage of 6000 nurses by 2025.

Read more: Lack of SOSU employees is a bomb under the welfare state

Among other measures, various organizations have suggested, inviting foreign labour. Today, foreign labour comprises a little over 10% of the total labour force in Denmark. According to Dansk Erhverv, the international workforce has raised GDP by 200 billion DKK alone in 2020, corresponding to 8.5 per cent of GDP. Considering the shortage of labour and foreign labour contributions, Danish Employment Minister Peter Hummelgaard, like the business community, showed his concerns and announces that new political efforts will be made to overcome the shortage.

In her new year speech, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen also pointed to the labour shortages and apart from other measures, she shows her enthusiasm for foreign labour. In the debate on the government’s reform proposal, the business community has wanted it to be easier to get labour from outside. We are willing to discuss that says the Prime Minister in her new year speech. Similarly, other political parties like Venstre and Radikale Venstre has also been advocating for inviting foreign labour.

Read more: Foreign colleagues contribute DKK 13 billion to public finances

Denmark has introduced numerous schemes over the years for attracting foreign labour like the pay limit scheme, green card scheme (abandoned in 2016), positive list, establishment card for international students, etc. Despite all these schemes, Denmark still cannot attract enough international workforce today. It is because Denmark has fallen significantly as a career destination for foreign employees. According to the Boston Consulting Group BCG report, Denmark was in 13th place in 2014, while in 2020 it was 25th on the foreign labour attractiveness list. Today Denmark is less attractive than the neighboring Germany, Sweden, and Norway who compete for the same foreign labour for their green transition and economic boost add the BCG report.

The question is why Denmark is continuously falling significantly as a career destination for foreign labour. There are quite a few reasons.

Strick visa requirements

To begin with, Denmark has listed strict requirements for obtaining a work permit in the first place. Pay limit scheme, for example, demands several requirements from both employers and foreign employees. Foreign professionals must have a job offer with an annual income of 448,000 DKK (2022 level) which is close to impossible in many cases. Similarly, the employer must fulfil several requirements before they can invite any foreign labour on a pay limit scheme which makes it difficult for employers to hire internationals. Positive list jobs ask for another set of requirements which again makes hurdles in hunting and attracting foreign labour.

Immigration Laws – inhumane and retroactive

It is a lifetime decision to migrate to a new country especially when you have a family. One must plan for at least the next five years while moving to a new country as a foreign employee. This includes how one will be treated by the immigration laws now and in the future. Considering immigration laws, Denmark has been in news around the world not for good reasons. Whether that be the last government minister Inger Støjberg controversial celebrations over strict immigration laws or current Social Democrats tough immigrations laws of striping Syrian refugees residency permits and new discriminatory measures regarding Danish citizenship, Denmark has it all to fall on the list of one of the most unattractive countries in Europe for the foreign workforce.

You have to spare at least 10 years of your life to settle in Denmark and that also when everything goes as planned and under current rules says one green card holder who has been struggling for the past one decade to navigate with the strict and unreasonable immigration laws.

Another factor in Danish immigration laws is that they are mostly applied retroactively i.e., laws proposed and passed today are applied from a past date. Katja Taastrøm who was expected to become Danish citizen last year but because of new citizenship rules applied retroactively, she must wait for at least 6 more years. Under the new rules, one must work full time for three and half years in the last 4 years while education does not count as work. Speaking to DR Katja said I am currently studying and will graduate in mid 2022. After that, I should work for three and a half years. This means I will be able to apply again in 2026. Depending on how long the case processing time is, we will arrive by 2027 or 2028 before I can become a Danish citizen. And that also if I do not get sick, lose my job, or completely new demands arise, she says. I feel more unwanted in this country than I did the first two years I was here, she says.

Read more: ‘It’s pure mockery’: Katja’s education stretches legs for her dream of becoming Danish

Bilal Yousaf, a vet and biologist, is another victim of Danish immigration rules. He was told to leave Denmark at a time when he needed support the most. Bilal lost his arm while working on a machine to earn the required annual income for visa extension back in 2015. Later, he could not continue to work and show the required annual income for visa extension, therefore, was told to leave Denmark which was catastrophic for him. Katie Larsen, a bio-based designer and Architectural Technologist left Denmark due to strict immigration rules after living 5 years in Denmark. There are thousands of such stories of miseries and frustrations.

With the new discussions about inviting foreign labour, many believe it will be the start of a new era of miseries and frustrations especially considering the rise of the far right in Denmark.

Measures to attract foreign workforce and prevent miseries and violations

According to a 2017 Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science assessment, 80 per cent of foreign graduates from Danish universities leave Denmark within two years of their graduation and that number has increased now. A similar story prevails regarding foreign workforce career destination choices. To bring Denmark back on top of the foreign workforce career destination list and prevent further miseries and violations of immigrants’ rights, the following measures must be taken into considerations while inviting foreign workforce.

  1. The requirements for obtaining a work permit should be easier with less bureaucratic procedures.
  2. The annual income requirement for obtaining visa and later extension should be realistic. For example, for the pay limit scheme, the income requirement should be reduced to 348,000 DKK from the current unreasonably high 448,000 DKK.
  3. Special positive list for doctors, nurses and green jobs should be introduced with a quick response rate.

Even if all these ease measures are granted, foreign professionals might not, at first, dare to come to Denmark or leave after a few years if humane immigration rules are not introduced. These measure could be;

  1. Foreign professionals with a job offer should be given a permanent residency permit at their arrival in Denmark just like in Canada and other countries.
  2. In case, foreign professionals are given a time-definite visa then the rules for their visa extension, permanent residency permit and citizenship should be mentioned on their first visa offer letter and those mentioned rules should prevail until the applicant has not gotten Danish citizenship.
  3. Retroactive implementation of rules must not take place at all. Eva Ersbøll, senior researcher at the Department of Human Rights calls the retroactive application of rules as against the basic rules of law principles and the Ministry of Justice guidance on good legal quality.

If these measures are not considered while inviting foreign workforce, it will be the beginning of another era of miseries, tragedies, violations, and modern slavery.

Naqeeb Khan is a research graduate of the University of Glasgow, Scotland and resides in Denmark. He is president of Green Human Resources and an executive member with the Danish Green Card Association (DGCA). He can be contacted via email.

The adjusted Danish Citizenship rules! Bigotry continues and so do our struggle!

Comparison of Original Citizenship agreement 20th April, 2021 and updated one of 17th June 2021.

On 20th April, 2021, Social Democrats along with Venstre, Liberal Alliance and Conservative signed an agreement regarding obtaining Danish citizenship via naturalisation. The agreement entailed number of unfair, discriminatory and racist rules. Danish Green Card Association and Green Human Recourses have from day one criticised these rules and called upon all the parties and MPs to reconsider these rules as they are unreasonable and in fact a hurdle to a good integration of new Danes into Danish society.

Read more: Nye regler for statsborgerskab bliver ikke den sidste stramning

After a continuous and rigorous campaign and the June 2, 2021 demonstration, we managed to put pressure on parties to the agreement to alter the rules for good. As a result the ministry issued another circular agreed on June 11, 2021 with some amendments. The ministry also sent the details of the updated agreement and answers to our questions in a letter dated 22 June, 2021. Although there has been few achievement of our campaign but mostly the rules remain unchanged or even worse in some cases. We are also not satisfied with the answers we receive from the Ministry. We believe that these rules are unfair and unjustifiable. They will make it impossible for many to obtain Danish citizenship which we consider a basic human right of those who have been living in Denmark either since birth or for over 10 years. Some of the rules are no less than humiliating the immigrants and youth with the unreasonable demands. Therefore, our resistance will continue against these rules.

Read more: Cirkulæreskrivelse om naturalisation 17/06/2021

Udlændinge- og Integrationsministreriet svar på vores spørgsmål.

Following is the comparison of the main points of original and updated agreement on Danish citizenship dated 17 June 2021.

Guidelines20 April 2021 Original Agreement17 June 2021 Changes in the agreement
Employment Requirement– 3,5 years full time work in last 4 years. – Applied retroactively on all application submitted after 10th April, 2020.– 3,5 years full time work in last 4 years. – Applied from the date the agreement was signed 20th April, 2021.
Young Students– Automatically Exempt from work requirement if entered Denmark before they turn 15 and up to the age of 25.– They have to apply for dispensation from work requirement to the parliament Indigenous Rights Committee.
– Plus a prerequisite that one should have entered Denmark before the age of 8 and should apply for citizenship before one reaches the age of 22.
– Applied retroactively on all application submitted after 10th April, 2020.
Residence Requirement– 2 years of Permanent Residence (1 year for Refugees and stateless persons) – Applied retroactively from 10th April 2021– Remain same as before. – Plus have the opportunity to apply for dispensation to committee without any guaranteed positive outcome.
MENAP plus Turkey (Racial & Religious profiling)– Names of each applicant will be listed in separate headings considering their country of origin. Muslim majority countries (MENAP Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan plus Turkey) applicants names will be listed separately under MENAP plus Turkey heading. Paving way to discrimination and racism.– Remain same as before.  
Citizenship test– 5 more questions on Danish values making it 45 in total – 4 correct out of 5 new questions – 32 correct out of rest of 40 questions– Remain same as before.
Dispensation for applications submitted after 20 April 2020. Employment requirement– No dispensation.– Part time workers who have worked less than 30 hours a week or less than 120 hours a month – Persons who have taken more than 6 months unemployment allowance (Dagepenge) in last 4 years. – The opportunity of applying for dispensation does not mean a guaranteed dispensation.
Ban on obtaining Citizenship– Conditional or unconditional prison sentence– Remain same as before.
Comparison of Original Citizenship agreement and updated one

Danish Green Card Association and Green Human Resources are very much concerned over the above changes which will make life miserable for many in Denmark. The integration of these new Danes will be even harder and might results in stress and trauma to probable new Danes especially those who are born here in Denmark and who will be forced to leave education and start work in a bit to be eligible to apply for citizenship.

Read more: An open letter to Danish Immigration Minister Mattias Tesfaye; It will be a dictatorial directive to implement new citizenship laws on those who have already applied a year ago

Fair rules; Our Recommendations

The two organisation has already written to parties and MPs about the new citizenship rules and informed them about our recommendations which are as follow.

Employment requirement

An applicant of Danish citizenship already show full time work for up to 4 years while getting permanent residency. Thus requiring 3 and half years full time work in last 4 years for citizenship application is unnecessary and contribute to an unskilled labor force. It will only make the probable new Danes stagnant at the same career position as they will have to continue working in the same job without training and development which in many cases is only possible to either start studying full time or go for various courses which takes years. Employment requirement will also force women to either choose family or work as they have to first show 3,5 years work for permanent residency and then for citizenship application.

One of the reasons to abolish the work requirement is COVID-19. Thousands of people lost their jobs during this pandemic which has made it impossible to show 3 and half years full time work in last 4 years. Thus it will take years before many could meet this requirement.

Residence Requirement

Danish Green Card Association and Green Human Resources believe that residency requirement is utterly unreasonable. An applicant who has fulfilled all requirements including the residence requirement for Citizenship which is 9 years should not be told to spend 2 more years in Denmark before applying for citizenship. It negate the very basic rules of the citizenship itself as it will require an applicant to spend almost 11 years before applying for Danish citizenship instead of 9 years.

The residence requirement will specially hit hard the youth as despite living in Denmark since birth they will have to spend 2 more years after getting permanent residency at the age of 18. This is completely risking the confidence of youth and humiliating them with unreasonable demands in a country they already call home.

Young Students

Danish Green Card Association and Green Human Resources are categorically shattered over the work requirement for young people for obtaining Danish citizenship in the newly updated version of the agreement. It will definitely disturb and destroy future of many young people. They will have to focus starting full time work instead of their studies at the young age or wait until they turn 30 to get Danish citizenship.

We believe that the parties should restore the first guidelines regarding the work employment for young people which automatically exempted all those from work requirement who have entered Denmark before the age of 15 and up to 25 years of age. This will also reduce an extra burden of work for the Indigenous Right Committee of parliament, immigration ministry staff and give a sense of confidence to youth that they are part of the society and we value them instead of demanding unreasonable and unjustified requirements.

MENAP plus Turkey

The new agreement includes among other things the separation of Danish citizenship applicants into headings based on their national background. Muslim majority countries applicants will be grouped under the name of MENAP plus Turkey (Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan plus Turkey) and similarly non-western countries which might include South Asian, South American and other countries and the western countries applicants will be under these headings respectively. This will actually pave way for more racial and religious discrimination in near future. We believe that such lists violates the very basics of Danish values of freedom of religion and contradicts the UN human rights conventions.

Education counted as full time work

The new guidelines states that education will not be counted as full time work with some exemption for young people. We have long campaigned to count education as full time work for permanent residency applications while the current agreement is not even recognising education as full time work for citizenship applications. We believe this is forcefully creating a pool of uneducated and unskilled labour in Denmark. We believe that education should be an alternative to work for citizenship applications with no limits of age because the higher immigrants get education the more will it contribute to Danish society and economy.

Dagpenge (A-kasse) and Supplementary Dagpenge should be counted as full work

We recommend to consider dagepenge (A-kasse) and supplementary dagpenge as an applicable source of regular full time work. It is because dagepenge itself require a person to fulfil certain requirement which include full time work in last 1 year. This will help the probable new Danes to not only continue their development by taking various courses and university degrees but it will also help various employment Union firms to have higher subscriptions. It will also add a more skilled labor force into Danish labor market.

Danish Green Card Association and Green Human Resources will continue a fair struggle against these new unreasonable and unjust citizenship rules. We have a planned meeting with the Indigenous Right Committee of parliament where we will propose the above amendments and recommendations to make the rules more fair and justifiable.

  • Naqeeb Khan is a research graduate of the University of Glasgow, Scotland and resides in Denmark. He is president of Green Human Resources and an executive member with the Danish Green Card Association (DGCA). He can be contacted via email.

    • Nawaz Lost job due to corona last year! Now he will get a 3rd rejection letter from Danish immigration due to new work requirement for citizenship applied retroactively

    Studies have found that Denmark immigrations laws change on average every 3 months in last 15 years. Nawaz Ahmed and his family are one who has been victim every time.

    Denmark has now for years been one of the most strict countries for highly skilled professionals and immigrants due to its ever changing and tough immigration policies. According to a 2017 Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science assessment, 80 percent of foreign graduates from Danish universities leave Denmark within two years of their graduation. There are some who stay and challenge the system. They include spouses of Danes, green card holders and researchers. Despite meeting all requirements they face the ever changing rules. The recent study by a law professor at Aarhus University found that Denmark’s immigration laws have changed 68 times in last 15 years. This translates to a change in immigration laws every three months. These changes are then applied retroactively which means that applicants are told about the change in the rules after they submit their application .

    Read more: Regler for statsborgerskab strammes med 13 måneders tilbagevirkende kraft

    Ahmed Nawaz (fictitious name) has a similar story. Nawaz is a software engineer. He came to Sweden in 2007 where he completed his Master degree in Software engineering in 2009. Those were the beginning years when Denmark had announced green card scheme. He easily got his Danish green card in 2010 and came to Denmark in 2011. When I came to Denmark, I had a plan says Ahmed. I planned to first make some savings and start a family life here in Denmark and invite my spouse and kids. At the same I also planned to focus on learning Danish language. Everything was going smoothly until immigrations laws start changing constantly. I got trapped in these laws changes and their retroactive implementation, says Nawaz. If I got rejected this time for my citizenship application it will be my third time getting rejection letter due to changes in rules with retroactive effects.

    The June 2015 Danish general elections resulted in a overwhelming victory for far right parties and a large number of seats were won by right wing Danish People Party (Danske Folkeparti DF) for the first time in history. This promptly turn into tightening of immigration rules as DF came with one and only agenda to tighten the immigration laws. Little did Nawaz knew that these general elections and the far right victory will make his life miserable in the coming years.

    Rejection of Permanent Residency application in 2015

    After living 5 years in Denmark and meeting all requirements, I applied for permanent residency on December 15, 2015 and paid a fee of DKK 5400 says Nawaz. I was focused on my job and family life. I thought I will receive permanent residency permit in few months after which I will not be worried about visa extension and kicking out of Denmark after losing job. But the troubles were about to start says Nawaz.

    At the end of January, 2016 bill L87 was passed from the parliament which tighten the permanent residency rules. These rules made it compulsory for applicants to have lived for 6 years before they can be eligible to apply for permanent residency. It was 5 year of stay before this bill was passed. Though the bill was passed on January 26, 2016 but it was retroactively applied on all applications submitted after 10th of December 2015, the date when the bill was presented in the parliament for the first time. This covered Nawaz application and after few weeks he received a rejection letter from immigration office stating that his stay in Denmark has not been 6 years therefore, his permanent residency application is rejected. I felt betrayed as my application was not only turned down due to retroactive enforcement of rules but also I did not get back my DKK 5400 which I paid for my application, Nawaz says. I continued my life and thought to apply in one year for permanent residency.

    Residency requirement raised to 8 years in 2017

    In March 2017, once again a new bill L154 was presented to the parliament to tighten the permanent residency requirements. These new rules raised the residency requirements from 6 years to 8 years. When I was about to apply for permanent residency again in March 2017, I was again told that now the residency requirement has raised to 8 years so I have to wait for another 2 years before I can be eligible to apply. This was another shock for me says Nawaz. As my kids were going to schools and they felt integrated in Denmark so I again committed myself to continue my life and apply for permanent residency in 2 years for the sake of a better and certain future of my kids.

    Read More: Denmark is locking every door to immigrants

    Rejection of Permanent Residency application in 2018

    The residency requirement for permanent residency are counted from the time of ones CPR registration in Denmark or from the time of ones first visa application submission date in case one has submitted application in side Denmark. As Nawaz submitted his first green card application in Denmark in October 2010 so his residency years should have been counted from then. But he got rejection of his 2nd Permanent residency application in early 2019. The reason immigration office has stated is that he had stayed longer out side of Denmark in the beginning which has reduced his number of years of stay in Denmark. This time again he paid a fee of over DKK 6000 but did not get a refund after rejection.

    Permanent Residency in 2019

    After getting his second rejection letter for his permanent residency application, he then again applied in 2019 and got his permanent residency in October 2019 after 8 and half years of stay in Denmark. Nawaz says, I finally made it to permanent residency despite a long process and number of rejections due to changing rules and their retroactive implementation.

    Citizenship Application in 2020

    In June 2020, Ahmed submitted his Danish citizenship application after meeting every requirement and residing in Denmark for over 9 years. He lost his job due to corona lockdown in March 2020. Due to extended corona lockdown he could not find a job so he started a web development course at Next Copenhagen to enhance his knowledge and increase his career opportunities. He is still few months into completing the course and he is hopeful to start a new job soon.

    Read more: Denmark’s new citizenship requirements are discriminatory and racist

    New citizenship rules and their retroactive implementation.

    When the Danish Social Democrats took over the office in 2019, it was thought, it might be the beginning of a normal life but it started to get even worse. On April 20, 2021, Minister of Immigration and Integration Mattias Tesfaye along with Venstre, Liberal Alliance and Conservative party spokespersons through a press conference, announced new and tighten citizenship laws. Human Rights organisations and experts called them unreasonable, discriminatory and racists. Among other new requirements, three and half years full time work in last four years is one. The worse part is again the retroactive implementation of these new rules on all applications submitted after 10th April, 2020.

    Read more: Institut for Menneskerettigheder: Statsborgerskabsregler strider mod retsstatsprincipper

    Probable rejection of Citizenship application in 2021

    The new citizenship rules include employment requirement. It is due to this requirement and its retroactive implementation that Nawaz thinks he will get another rejection letter from Danish immigration. I am devastated to hear about these new rules and their retroactive implementations, says Nawaz. It is like running on a treadmill which never ends anywhere. I am still studying web development course after which I will probably get a job and then I have to work 3 and half years to be eligible to apply for citizenship. This means that I will probably get Danish citizenship in 2026 instead of 2022 that also if I did not get sick or do not lose my job again or rules are not changed again says Nawaz.

    Read more: ‘Dictatorial to impose new citizenship laws on those who have already applied’

    Nawaz is living with his wife and two children at the outskirt of Copenhagen. His kids are now going to school. Elder is in 8th standard while the younger is in 6th. Nawaz says, I am not only worried about my future in Denmark but my kids. Though they are well integrated but I am afraid, what has been happening to me over the last one decade might happen to my children one day. This makes me feel scare about my children’s future.

    Nawaz along hundreds of others who are in similar situation after the new citizenship rules are announced, believe that a fair and moral way of implementing these rules especially the employment requirement would be to apply the new rules 3 years from now i.e. from 10th May 2024 rather applying retroactively from 10th April, 2020. This will allow everyone to fulfil the requirements mentioned in the ministry circular. It will save Nawaz from getting his 3rd rejection letter from Danish immigration due to changes in rules and their retroactive implementation despite meeting all requirements when submitting application.

    • Naqeeb Khan is a research graduate of the University of Glasgow, Scotland and resides in Denmark. He is president of Green Human Resources and an executive member with the Danish Green Card Association (DGCA). He can be contacted via email.

    An open letter to Danish Immigration Minister Mattias Tesfaye; It will be a dictatorial directive to implement new citizenship laws on those who have already applied a year ago

    Minister of Immigration and Integration Mattias Tesfaye (S) expects that fewer people will get citizenship after a new agreement tightens access to Danish citizenship. Photo: Emil Helms / Ritzau Scanpix

    Dear Mattias Tesfaye,

    Every human being has the right to a fair and free chance to survive and grow. These rights are not only guaranteed in the Danish constitution but recognised by UN Human Rights Conventions and EU directives. Over the last few years various Danish governments has been breaching the equal opportunity rights of immigrants thus violating the fundamentals of Danish values and its constitution.

    The constant implementation of laws retroactively and asking immigrants to meet the requirements in an earlier time in the past makes it more like a dictatorial directives rather any democratic norm. Unfortunately your signed circular CIS nr 9298 af 06/05/2021 dated 6th May 2021 regarding new Danish citizenship rules are also violating the basics of UN human rights conventions, EU directives and the Danish democratic norms. It proposes to implement the new Danish citizenship law on all those who have applied after 10 April 2020 which is 13 months prior to the date of agreement over on the law.

    Read more: Circular letter on Danish Naturalisation

    Though, I consider the new proposed rules illogical, discriminatory and unfair but its implementation on the already submitted applications make it unjustified and probably illegal. It violates the basic right of a person to have a fair chance to meet the set requirements. I recommend following points to be reconsidered in the new proposed and circulated rules and urge to change its implementation plan.

    • Residency Requirement:

    I believe that the residency requirement for citizenship applicants is unjustified. The current residency requirement for citizenship is already one of the highest in Europe i.e. 9 years but this new residency requirement will make it over 11 years. It is because the new residency requirements ask applicants to hold Permanent residency for at least 2 years before the citizenship application is processed and it takes almost 9 years to obtain permanent residency in Denmark. This requirement will also make hurdles for young people who are born and raised here as they will also need to wait for 2 years after getting Permanent residency when they turn 18.

    • Work Requirement:

    Majority of the immigrants are working full time but many of them also leave jobs for a while to join various professional courses and/or university degrees to strengthen their skills and knowledge especially after getting Permanent Residency. During this period they either take dagepenge (A-kasse, an allowance through a paid Union), supplementary dagepenge (working part time while taking part of the dagepenge A-kasse) or use their savings for a time being for their brighter future. The work requirement will force many to remain stagnant at one position without any training and development as they will need to show full time work for citizenship application. It will also in near future force many to stop their dagepenge (A-kasse) subscriptions as it will be of no use if one cannot avail for at least first 10 years of their stay in Denmark. It will surely have adverse impact on the economy of many employment Union firms. This requirement will also force many to leave their university education or never start one rather keep working unskilled jobs or remain in the same position which will ultimately impact Danish labor market.

    i). COVID-19: Imposing Work requirement at a time when thousands of people have lost their jobs due to COVID-19 will make it impossible for many to fulfil this requirement. During 2020 many people lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 economic lockdown so requiring immigrants to show full time work for last 3 and half years during this pandemic will be unfair. 

    • Implementation of the rules:

    The shocking part of these new rules is the implementation date. You have announced that these new rules will be applied retroactively from April 10, 2020. It is almost 13 months prior to the agreement between the parties on new citizenship rules. It might make the new rules illegal as the court review might declare it illegal to apply rules on those who have already submitted their application a year ago after fulfilling all the requirements of the time.

    Read more: OPINION: Denmark’s new citizenship requirements are discriminatory and racist

    Recommendations

    Considering Denmark a democratic country, I would like to recommend the following more logical and fair alternatives for the above mentioned concerns.

    1. I urge that residency requirements of holding Permanent residency for 2 years before the process of citizenship application is unnecessary. I would recommend to drop this requirement as it only contribute to further hurdles in the integration of immigrants as they will be unnecessarily delayed from getting Danish citizenship which give them the right to vote and a sense of identity in the Danish society.
    2. I would urge the following recommendations for the work requirement clause of the new circulated rules.
      1. Firstly, I recommend to abolish the work requirement for citizenship applications. It is because an applicant of Danish citizenship has already shown full time work for up to 4 years while getting permanent residency. Thus requiring 3 and half years full time work in last 4 years for citizenship application is unnecessary and contribute to an unskilled labor force. It will only make the probable new Danes stagnant at the same position as they will have to continue working in the same job without training and development which in many cases is only possible to either start studying full time or go for various courses which takes years.
      2. One of the reasons to abolish the work requirement is COVID-19. Thousands of people lost their jobs during this pandemic which has made it impossible to show 3 and half years full time work in last 4 years. Thus it will take years before many could meet this requirement.
      3. In continuation to 2.a and 2.b, I would recommend to consider dagepenge (A-kasse) as an applicable source of regular full time work. It is because dagepenge itself require a person to fulfil certain requirement which include full time work in last 1 year. This will help the probable new Dane to not only continue their development by taking various courses and university degrees but it will also help various employment Union firms to have higher subscriptions. It will also add a more skilled labor force into Danish labor market.
    3. I believe that the implantation plan described in the 6th May 2021 ministry circular will make the new rules illegal as they are prescribed to be applied retroactively from 10th April, 2020. I believe that;
      1. If the government would like to give a fair chance to each applicant so it will apply the new rules 3 years from now i.e. from 10th May 2024. This will allow everyone to fulfil the requirements mentioned in the circular.
      2. If the government would like to be unfair but still in one way justifiable so it will apply the new rules from either 10th May 2021 or from 20th April 2021 on which date the agreement was signed between the parties.
      3. I believe if the government apply the new rules from 10th April 2020 which the circular has also mentioned, it might make it illegal as it probably violates various human rights laws including the Danish constitution.

    I believe that a more suitable way of implementation of new rules would be to apply from the date of signing the agreement which is 20th April, 2021. It will mean that all those who have already applied, their applications will be processed on the basis the old rules. This will also mean that ministry will not be responsible to pay back probably over a million Danish Krone as a return fee. It is because each applicant who has applied from 10th April 2020 has paid a fee of 3800 DKK and their are thousands who will be effected by these new set of rules and thus ministry will be responsible to pay back their fees.

    I would be pleased if you consider these recommendations and make changes to the new rules accordingly. I am open to any further discussion or meeting that be virtual or face to face regarding the new rules and my recommendations.

    I will be eager to read your response to my letter.

    Best Regards 

    Naqeeb Khan

    Naqeeb Khan is a research graduate of the University of Glasgow, Scotland and resides in Denmark. He is president of Green Human Resources and an executive member with the Danish Green Card Association (DGCA). He can be contacted via email.

    Denmark new tighten citizenship requirements are discriminatory and racist

    In June 2019, Mattias Tesfaye (Social Democrat) took over as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Integration from the former Liberal politician Inger Støjberg. Photo: Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix

    After four long years of Venstre and far right parties government (2015-2019), Danes thought it would be a breathe of fresh air after the Danish Social Democrats took over the office in 2019 but it gets even worse. From introducing new tough immigrations laws to striping Syrian refugees residency permits and now these new strict and discriminatory measures in the form of the new agreement regarding Danish citizenship makes Social Democrats even worse. Some experts and politicians have called Danish Social Democrats as the new right wing populist party.

    Already Denmark has one of the tightest immigration laws in the world but with these new measures it might become the most discriminatory and racists. The new agreement proposes tightening of the rules in the following areas where some points are specifically proposed to target groups like Muslims and non-western immigrants.

    Read more: Ministry press release and new agreement on tightening the Danish citizenship requirements.

    Racial discrimination: Muslim and non-western countries applicants

    The new controversial agreement includes among other things the separation of danish citizenship applicants into muslims countries named as MENAP (Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan plus Turkey), non-western countries which might include South Asian, South American and other countries and the western countries applicants. As the Danish citizenship applicants names are tabled in the parliament after over a year of scrutiny for voting, the names are currently arranged alphabetically. The new agreement proposes to separate applicants on the basis of their original nationality. Although this thought was first coined by the extreme far right party The New Right but despite their absence in this collaboration, their idea is actualised. The reason behind this idea is to probably vote separately on each bill and reject muslim applicants list in the parliament. This will be even contrary to the Danish constitution.

    Read more: Partier vil tildele statsborgerskab på en ny måde

    Residency Requirement might become 11 years

    Denmark current rules dictate that one has to have lived 9 years before one can be eligible to apply for Danish Citizenship. Although this rule is not changed but as one of the pre-requisite of applying for Danish citizenship is to have permanent residency which can be availed after almost 9 years of residence. The new agreements states that one has to have Permanent residency for 2 years before one can be eligible to apply for citizenship. As obtaining permanent residency permit itself takes almost 9 years so the citizenship residency requirement will automatically reach 11 years. This will make Denmark the only European country to set this highest residency requirement.

    Employment Requirement

    The new agreement proposes an employment requirement for to be Danish nationals. The parties have agreed to set a 3 and half years full time work requirement in last 4 years before one can be eligible to apply for Danish Citizenship. This will be one of the most illogical and problematic requirement especially for young applicants. It will compel young students to leave their education and work full time for 3 and half years in last 4 years before they can be eligible to apply for Danish citizenship. This requirement will also force young people born and raised in Denmark, studied in Danish school and been an active part of Danish society, to leave their studies after they turn 18 and start full time work. Else, they will have to wait for at least 5 years as first they to finish their education and then work full time for at least 3 and half years. It will only make the young people suffer who have already been part of the Danish society since their birth.

    New Citizenship Test

    The current test contains a total of 40 questions covering Danish history from 7th century to date, politics, economics, societal values and norms, culture, lifestyle and current affairs. The new agreement had proposed to add 5 more questions on Danish values. These 5 questions will be about freedom of expression, equality and especially about religion. The agreement has emphasised that to pass the test one has to get 4 correct out of these 5 questions. The critics argue that these questions are specifically agreed to target muslims and ask questions as to choose either Islam or Danish values. In case this become a reality, it will also violate the Danish constitution which guarantee freedom of speech and religion.

    Citizenship Interview

    The four parties agreement include the introduction of Citizenship interview. This will be the first of its kind in Denmark history. The parties agreed upon preparing a statement within a year as to how to conduct citizenship interviews. The idea behind the citizenship interview is again to assess individual applicants as how far one has adopted Danish values contrary to their religious believes. It was also first brought by far right party to target muslims applicants as to judge them on their religious believes. It will at least take a year more before citizenship interviews will be actually introduced if the agreement becomes a bill and pass from parliament.

    Read more: Integration handler ikke om at bygge bro, siger Venstre

    Prison sentence strips an applicant from Danish Citizenship for ever

    The new agreement will make it impossible for those who has be sentenced to prison that might be conditional or unconditional and even for a day. The right groups argue that this will take the chance of a better life from a person who has once committed a crime but later got education and contribute to society in a better way. This will also violate the Universal Human Rights Conventions. Critics argue that with this requirement Denmark will go back 100 years as back in 1915, Denmark gave the right to vote to prisoners and now it is taking even the citizenship rights from former prisoners.

    Read more: Denmark announces new tightening of citizenship rules

    The new agreement has shown leniency at one place where they have agreed to allow South Schleswig residence to become Danish citizen if their children has been attending Danish schools in South Schleswig, Germany. But the agreement also has been discriminatory here as it has used the word Danish-minded residence only. It means that if a Turk or other muslim residence of South Schleswig wishes to apply for Danish citizenship even after fulfilling all the requirement, they would be rejected as they would be labelled as non Danish-minded residence.

    Despite the left Block (Red Block) leading party, Social Democrats went on to the right wing blue block parties like Venstre, Conservative and Liberal Alliance to sign an agreement on tightening the citizenship laws leaving behind the support parties. This shows how desperate Social democrat party is to attract the right wing voters especially for the upcoming municipal elections in November. All the three support parties to the Social Democrat government i.e. Enhedslisten, Radikale Venstre and Socialist Peoples Party have shown their discontent to the agreement. They have called the agreement an illogical, discriminatory and shameful.

    Read more: Eksperter: Ny aftale om statsborgerskab er ’stærkt bekymrende’

    Although the parties to the agreement make it a clear majority to pass the probable bill but if the support parties to Social democrats take firm stand on the issue so it might not get though. In case the support parties threaten Social democrats with no confidence vote which will result in dismissal of the current government and ultimately an end to the agreement at least for a while. Are the support parties ready to take the big step and turn over the Social democrat government? It will only be a matter of time before we know.

    Naqeeb Khan is a research graduate of the University of Glasgow, Scotland and resides in Denmark. He is president of Green Human Resources and an executive member with the Danish Green Card Association (DGCA). He can be contacted via email.

    Why Danish Parliament should consider Education as Full Time Job as part of the new bill?

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is screen-shot-2020-11-30-at-01.19.26.png
    Chrissy Patton is a graduate of Aalborg University, Denmark.

    According to the Ministry of Higher Education and Science Denmark, 80% of the foreign graduates from Danish universities leave Denmark after two years of their graduation. It is probably because of the uncertainty around settling down in Denmark. One of the recent studies of Aarhus University Professor found that immigration rules in Denmark are changed after every 3 months . Frequent changes and constantly tightening the requirements for permanent residency create a basic sense of uncertainty and lack of predictability. It not only makes it difficult to live a normal life but people who think they are on the right track towards getting permanent residency find that they face yet another new set of requirements.

    Read more: Denmark concerned about the high proportion of foreign students who leave after graduation

    In the pre-2016 scenario, education was counted as full time work. International students, reunified spouses of Danes and their children were eligible to apply for Permanent Residency by showing that either they have been working or studying in Denmark. But the laws were changed in 2016. Education was thereafter, no more counted as full time work. Thus International students, reunified spouses and their children would either leave the country or stop studying and have to take unskilled jobs to fulfil employment requirement before they can apply for permanent residency.

    Here is how immigration laws have been effecting these groups and adversely effecting Denmark and the integration of these new Danes.

    International Students

    The elimination of education has directly affected international students. An international student roughly pays a fee of 80,000 per year to a Danish University. Apart from that, a student works up to 80 hours a month and pay taxes. Chrissy Patton, an American student in Denmark who graduated from Aalborg University in January 2020, is now on an establishment card. Although I’ve graduated with my Master’s degree from a Danish university, have lived here for the last five years, passed the Danish language exam PD3 and have a full time job, I still won’t qualify for permanent residency anytime soon as I have to work full time for a minimum of 3.5 years before I can be eligible to even apply, says Chrissy Patton.

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is screen-shot-2020-11-30-at-12.20.31.png
    Chrissy Patton during her graduation at Aalborg University, Denmark.

    I will likely have to rely on the pay limit scheme in order to meet the 3.5 year requirement, but that means I should have a permanent job contract with a salary of more than 436.000 DKK a year (and this amount increases every year) which is extremely difficult for a new graduate, adds Chrissy Patton. International students in such cases decide to leave Denmark despite they are well integrated, highly qualified, have full time job just because they could not extend their stay by not showing few more thousands krones of income a year. If education is counted as full time work they could not only stay in Denmark but also get permanent residency and focus on their career which ultimately contribute to the Danish society and economy.

    Reunified Spouses

    Thousands of Danes are married to individuals from out side of EU. They join their spouses after fulfilling number of requirements of the strict and controversial family reunification laws. Thereafter, these spouses have to fulfil individually all the requirements to get permanent residency. They have to either work full time for 3,5 continuous years after graduation which means a wait of 8 years after coming to the country (that also if they get full time job and work without any break during these years) or leave studying and start unskilled odd job. When they leave education it not only stop their personal growth but also Denmark ends up with unskilled labour force. Another International student of Architectural Technology, graduate of KEA Denmark, Katie Larsen came to Denmark in 2015 from the States. She is now married to a Dane. She has represented Denmark at Dutch Design Week 2019, with a project rooted in Danish history and culture, at a conference for the world’s best design graduates. She could not apply for permanent residency as education is not counted as full time work so she applied for family reunification.

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 50676816_10213478289738099_6723724005708136448_o.jpg
    Katie Larsen while presenting her seaweed project at KEA Denmark

    Katie lost her job after the corona crisis and thereafter, have to leave Denmark with her Dane husband to study in The Netherlands and come back after few years under EU laws. I was two months away from completing my mandatory integration contract with Slagelse Kommune, a contract that required me to work for at least a year to prove my “self-sufficiency”. But then I lost my job due to corona crisis and my any hope of applying for permanent residence in the next 4 years has also been ruined says Katie. In case education was counted as full time work just like before 2016, I would have gotten permanent residency by now. I decided to leave Denmark to take a masters degree in the Netherlands and come back under EU laws. This would take almost the exact same amount of years as if you stay in Denmark to get a masters degree. The big difference is if you stay in Denmark, and lose your job for more than 6 months, you start over again and have to wait another 4 years. So it punishes you to stay in Denmark even if you are contributing says Katie.

    Reunified Young Children

    The children of reunified international workers is another group of people who suffer because of the strict permanent residency laws. When a child of foreign worker join their family at the age of lets say 14 and their parents could not get permanent residency while they are under 18, then these youngsters have to fulfil all the permanent residency requirements by their own. They either have to leave their education to get permanent residency in next 4 years or wait for another 8 to 10 years before they can get permanent residency. Their life is totally uncertain before they have gotten permanent residency.

    Maya Young, who came to Denmark when she was 14 under her father work visa. She is now 17 and studying at a folkeskole in Hundested. Her father will still not be eligible to apply for permanent residency permit by next year and she will turn 18. This means that after she turns 18, she will have to fulfil all the permanent residency requirements by her own.

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 128308342_1825712804252920_2355994573906644261_n.jpg
    Maya Young (middle) with her parents in Denmark

    Maya says, If education counts as full time work so I can apply for my permanent residency permit next year as I have been studying ever since I came to Denmark almost 3 years ago. This will bring calm in my life and I will be able to focus on my studies and career. Now she has to either leave education which she does not want or wait for another 8 to 10 years before she can complete her education and work full time for 3,5 continuous years to be eligible to apply for permanent residency. During these years her future in Denmark will totally be uncertain which will effect her studies and career.

    The current bill at the Danish parliament argue to include education as full time work. The bill is presented by Radikale Venstre party MPs and have support from Enhedslisten, Socialist Folkeparty SP, Alternativet and Frie Grønne.

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is screen-shot-2020-11-30-at-00.25.10.png
    The new bill (By Radikale Venstre) proposes that education should again be counted as full time employment.

    Danish politicians must consider these young highly qualified individuals lives before voting on this bill. Education if counted as full time work will only benefit Danish society and economy.

    Naqeeb Khan (left) and D. Valentino (right) with Danish MP Andreas Steenberg (Radikale Venstre) at the Danish Parliament after a meeting regarding education to be counted again as full time work.

    Written by: Naqeeb Khan

    Constitution Day is a celebration of political and human rights for all. Is Denmark neglecting them?

    Christiansborg Slotsplads. Photo from Jyllands Posten

    Following the death of Christian VIII on January 20th 1848, his son, Frederik VII became Denmark’s new king. Frederik VII adopted the idea of making Denmark a constitutional monarchy and became known for his motto “the people’s love, my strength”.

    On June 5th 1849, the King signed Denmark’s Constitution (Grundlov) to replace the King’s Law (Kongeloven) and, in doing so, became the last King of Denmark to rule as an absolute monarch.

    Since then, June 5th has been celebrated as Constitution Day in the Scandinavian country. The occasion is commonly commemorated by political rallies, seminars and outdoor parties which this year are mostly postponed after the corona crisis.


    The original Constitution on display at the Danish parliament. Photo: Nils Meilvang/Ritzau Scanpix

    In his book “Controlling the State: Constitutionalism from Ancient Athens to Today”, author Scott Gordon states the fundamental aim of a constitution is to divide power into various organisations or institutional entities in a way that ensures the protection of the interests and liberties of the citizens, including those that may be part of a minority.

    Denmark’s constitution provides for just the same: the interests of each citizen are sheltered by dividing power in a balanced way and providing freedom of speech, expression, association and religion. 

    But in recent years the political developments, including the banning the Islamic burqa in public, ghetto plans, strict immigration and family reunification rules, neglecting the immigrants in the corona package etc have been criticised by various national and international organisation like The United Nations, Amnesty International for not being in accord with Human rights conventions.

    Amnesty International Europe Director Gauri Van Gulik said regarding the banning of burqa that if the intention of this law was to protect women’s rights, it fails abjectly. Instead, the law criminalises women for their choice of clothing.

    One of the most controversial bill recently passed is the Ghetto plan. Three out of five mentioned criteria is enough to declare an area as Ghetto. These criteria includes the discriminatory clause that an area with over 50% Non-western immigrant or descendent of non-western immigrant population must be listed as Ghetto. Once an area is declared as Ghetto, than the residents must fulfil number of conditions to continue their residency in the area otherwise must leave the area. According to Mandag Morgen some 11,000 people will have to leave their homes over the coming years as a result of the so-called ghetto package. The UN, human rights organisations and various NGOs has called the package a discriminatory and must end. In a report, the UN calls the Danish ghetto list discriminatory and calls directly to drop the ghetto definition because it discriminates against non-Western citizens.

    Read more: FN dumper ghettopakken, fordi den diskriminerer ikke-vestlige borgere

    Similarly, the Danish government has been criticised for not insuring the protection of one’s family life, with Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights cited. Strict Danish rules on family reunification risk violating the rights of immigrants. While the than immigration minister Inger Støjberg celebrating the strict rules with a cake said, going to the “limits of conventions” was “a risk I’m willing to take”. While many believe that she has crossed those limits.

    Inger Støjberg celebrating strict immigration rules with a cake. Photo facebook

    Denmark is a signatory to various European, United Nations and other international treaties including the European Convention on Human Rights treaty of 1953, the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN’s 1966 International Convention on Civil and Political Rights.

    This not only means that Danish laws must guarantee human and political rights domestically but that Denmark must also work along other nations to ensure these rights around the world.

    In June 1945, the Charter of the United Nations (UN) was signed in San Francisco by 51 founding countries, including Denmark. Photo: UN Photo/Rosenberg

    Whether it is the recent murder of the African American George Floyd, the continuous discrimination and brutalities against Black people in The US, the genocide of Rohingya people by the Myanmar government, The Chinese oppression in Hong Kong, atrocities against the Pashtuns by Pakistan, the Kashmiris human right violations by both Pakistan and India or the Israeli aggression and occupation in Palestine, Denmark must not only condemn but make sure that the human and political rights of these oppressed communities are not violated.

    Denmark, a founding and essential member of the UN, is bound to seek that the right of life, freedom and fair trial is provided to people around the world. Meanwhile, the Danish laws must not discriminate against people of a specific ethnicity, culture, language, religion and identity here at home.

    We may celebrate Constitution Day with rallies, seminars and outdoor parties, but celebration will truly be due when every single law is in accord with constitution and human rights conventions.

    Naqeeb Khan is a research graduate of the University of Glasgow, Scotland and resides in Denmark. He is president of Green Human Resources and an executive member with the Danish Green Card Association (DGCA). He can be contacted via email.

    No mercy for foreign workers who lost their jobs amid Corona crisis: Work or Leave Denmark, Social Democrat replied

    Social Democrats leave no option for immigrants after corona crisis. Work even if you are corona positive or leave the country. Photo: Niels Christian Vilmann/Ritzau Scanpix

    Foreign workers are supposed to show an annual income and continuous work if they desire to continue their stay in Denmark or apply for family reunification or permanent residency permit. After the Corona crisis, thousands of workers were fired from their jobs and thus are unable to fulfil these requirements. These laid off workers are not even eligible for Government Corona help package. Those who are getting the compensation are also not fulfilling the income requirement as the compensation amount is much less than the required income.

    Read more: Denmark migrant workers face another battle amid COVID-19 with mandatory work despite economic lockdown and fear of corona infection

    Since the start of Corona crisis, foreign workers have been asking for a relief as many lost their jobs. Right after the lockdown was announced, immigrants wrote to the ruling party, Social Democrats MPs and Ministry of Immigration and Integration to announce a dispensation of work and income requirement for visa extension, family reunification and Permanent residency applications. Immigrants also wrote to other political parties in the parliament like Enhedslisten, Radikale Venstre, Venstre Party, SP and Alternative. Enhedslisten and Radikale venstre came out loud to support foreign workers and asked the ruling Social Democrats and Minister Mattias Tesfaye to waive income and work requirements during this lockdown.

    Read more: R og EL vil tilgodese udlændinge i corona-klemme

    In the beginning, Minister of Immigration and Integration replied to MPs request that he does not see any logic for changing the rules. Immigrants thus started an online petition to ask for dispensation of work and income requirements during these corona crisis for visa extension and Permanent residency application. The petition has almost 2200 signatories. The petition explained as how foreign workers have been hit by corona crisis and thus can not fulfil the income and work requirements.

    Read more: Nearly 2200 join call for Denmark to suspend work permit rules

    With all the appeals from various rights groups, political parties and thousands of immigrants, Social Democrat MPs and ministry of immigration and integration continue to show no mercy to foreign workers despite this global pandemic. They are told to continue work and show required income despite the corona lockdown.

    This means that immigrants who desire to stay in Denmark must continue work and show income even if they are corona positive. Immigrants who have been living in Denmark and fulfilling every requirement will only be sent back home because they are laid off from work due to corona crisis. Though corona crisis has indiscriminately hit everyone but immigrant workers are the one who are hit twice, once by coronavirus and than by the Danish Govt.

    In a written reply to Naqeeb Khan request for dispensation of income and work requirements during these crisis, ministry of immigration and integration writes, “Dispensation from this income requirement due to the COVID-19 situation cannot be granted, even if you have been sent home without salary and laid off from your job.”

    Here is the complete reply of Ministry

    The above reply is to Naqeeb Khan first email to ministry which he sent on 19th of March. Later on 27th April another email long the online petition was sent to ministry and number of parliament members. Ministry is yet to reply to immigrants online petition.

    Over 1700 signatories to Tesfaye: Suspend income and work requirements for immigrants amid Corona Crisis

    Immigrants in Denmark write to Immigration Minister Mattias Tesfaye
    after corona crisis. Photo: Ida Guldbæk Arentsen / Ritzau Scanpix

    Dispensation of Income and Work requirements for Denmark Immigrants during Corona Lockdown

    Dear Mattias Tesfaye,

    COVID-19 crisis has on one side caused a huge human and economic loss but on the other side, it has also united us as human beings as we all are in this together. Denmark surely has suffered a lot during these crisis but our unity and helping spirit will keep us alive and prosperous. 

    Although COVID-19 has indiscriminately hit everyone, whether local or immigrant but immigrants are the one who have to face another battle amid COVID-19. They have to face the strict immigration laws and earn required income and work continuously. One might justify these strict rules in normal circumstances but asking for the same level of income and work despite COVID-19 crisis and lockdown is unfair and irrational.

    These immigrants have to show an annual income and continuous work for visa extension, Permanent Residency and Family Reunification applications. During these corona crisis many of them have lost their jobs, while others have been told to stay home. Thus it is impossible for many to show the required income and continuous work.

    It is commendable how the Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen with the help of government support parties like Enhedslisten, Radikale Venstre and SF, showed leadership and took initiatives that has minimised the damage to human lives and economy. We also appreciate government financial support to companies and employees but that still do not solve those immigrants’ problems who are on pay limit scheme, green card scheme or applying for Permanent Residency or family reunification or EU students who could not fulfil the work requirement thus told to return back all SU amount.

    Why Government Corona Package is not helping these immigrants:

    The Corona package to employees has a limit and conditions. These conditions and limit has cut the last hope of immigrants. Corona Help Package could not help these immigrants because;

    Workers are fired: One of the conditions of Corona Help package is that it can be received only by those who are not fired from work. Hundreds of these immigrants have been fired from jobs thus they can not avail the Government corona compensation. Especially, tourism, hotel and restaurant industry has fired most of their employees. It is thus impossible for these employees to earn the required income and show continuous work for visa extension or Permanent Residency and family reunification applications. In some cases, the companies have filed bankruptcy and employees have even not got March salary. 

    Part time job holders: Most of the part time jobs holders are straight away fired from work after corona crisis. Many of immigrants were doing two part time jobs due to various reasons and after the lockdown they lost both of their jobs straight away. Thus they are not getting any compensations from Corona Help package.

    Lower Compensation than required income: Although there are many immigrants who get the compensation from Government Corona Help Package but the amount of compensation is much less than the required annual income for visa extension or other applications. Thus these immigrants still have to suffer as they can not fulfil the income requirement and finding a new job is almost impossible in these crisis. 

    Commission based jobs: There are many immigrants who are working in retail and commission based businesses. Their salary is based on basic pay plus commission on the sales. Corona Compensation to these employees is given on their basic pay which is why their income is much less than the required income. 

    Over 1730 Signatories asking for Dispensation of Income and Work Requirements

    Due to this stressful situation, we collected signatures through an online petition asking for dispensation of income and work requirements for visa extension, Permanent residency and family reunification during these crisis. More than 1730 people have signed the petition until now.

    Link to Online Petition: Click here

    Solution and Recommendations: 

    There can be quite a simple solution which will help thousands of immigrants breathe peacefully during this global pandemic. Government can suspend these income and work requirements for visa extension, Permanent Residency and family reunification applicants during these crisis lets say from March to June just like the suspension of 225 hours of work per year rule for Danish national getting cash help and the handshake requirement for new citizens. This will give a fair chance to these immigrants to fulfil the requirements when the lockdown is over. These immigrants will thus be able to focus on their daily life and safeguard themselves and their families from coronavirus and its aftermath.

    Best Regards

    Over 1720 signatories

    Related Posts

    Tesfaye to Danish Muslims: “It (Ramadan) must NOT mean an explosion in Corona infections”

    Minister Mattias Tesfaye to Muslims Den (Ramadan) må IKKE betyde en eksplosion i smittede. Photo: Liselotte Sabroe/Ritzau Scanpix

    While the world leader pass Ramadan greetings and corona guidelines in a way that keep everyone included but Immigration and Integration Minister of Denmark Mattias Tesfaye will post the sensational news headlines with divisive words like “Den må IKKE betyde en eksplosion i smittede” meaning It (Ramadan) must NOT mean an explosion in corona infected cases.

    Read more: Tesfaye i opråb til danske muslimer

    There has been reports that ethic minorities like African American and Latinos in the US have recorded higher number of corona cases. While explaining the reasons behind the disproportionate number of cases of corona for the people of colour in the States, Mother Jones writes “well, there are the more acute reasons (black and Latino people are being put at risk more in their day-to-day lives) and then there are the structural reasons (long-standing economic and health disparities between white people and people of colour). Black and Latino American accounts for more than 60 percent of the workforce of The Metropolitan Transportation Authority in NYC and MTA employees is hit high in NYC. As per the New York Times report of 8th April, bus and subway workers have been hit hard by the coronavirus: 41 dead and more than 6,000 either diagnosed with Covid-19 or self-quarantining because they have symptoms that suggest an infection.

    Read more: Covid-19’s devastating toll on black and Latino Americans, in one chart

    The figures in some of the mainstream media are presented in a way that link the corona cases more with minorities religious or cultural traits than other realities. Headlines depict minorities as they not following guidelines while ignoring the fact that these immigrants are mostly working in the most vulnerable fields like delivery, transportation, warehouses, grocery stores etc.

    Read more: Indvandrere med coronavirus fylder hospital: Nu kræver overlæger klar besked

    In Denmark the scenario is not very different. There are jobs like driving, delivery services, taxi, transportation, warehouses etc where majority of workers are from minority background. In an online supermarket warehouse located near Copenhagen, there are about 500 packers and other staff working. Around 80% of them are immigrants. The other 20% are either working in offices or from home. These hundreds of workers work in a much crowded place especially after the lockdown as online orders has increased and more employees are hired. There are now more than 6 corona positive cases in the warehouse but workers are continuously told to perform higher and some are fired because they could not perform 100 % despite the fact that the work place is too crowded. Similarly, other fields like taxi drivers where majority are from minority background are more exposed to corona infection.

    The Ramadan guidelines regarding coronavirus are praised by muslims and these guidelines have already been followed by Mosques as they are closed since the lockdown has been announced. The issue is linking higher cases with religion and ethic background at a time when muslims holy month of Ramadan is starting without mentioning the other realities like work professions and structural imbalances. This makes it look like minorities are not following the guidelines.

    The health authorities in Denmark are planning to issue the coronavirus infected cases data with regard to ethnic background. It might came out that minorities do have higher number of cases but it should not be used as a right wing tool to blame the cultural and religious disparities rather it could be taken as warning as state has failed to provide an equal standing to minorities. It could also be seen as immigrants do take risks to provide services to people even if they have to risk their lives.

    By Naqeeb Khan

    EU students continue to receive bills to pay back SU after they lost their jobs amid Corona crisis

    Boglarka Makari, an EU student told to return SU DKK 16,424 after she could not continue work amid Corona crisis. Photo: Boglarka.

    Denmark State Education Support called Statens Uddannelsesstøtte (SU) is a education grant for home and EU students studying in Danish educational institutions. EU students can be eligible for SU if they show equal status to Danish citizens under the EU laws. They can show equal status by working 10 hours per week while they are studying in Denmark. One of the conditions is that they have to work 10 hours per week for a continuous period of 10 weeks. In case they could not show continuous 10 weeks work, they will be told to return back all the SU money.

    Read more: SU as a worker or a self-employed person under EU law

    Boglarka Makari, an EU student has been receiving SU after she started working in January, 2020. Boglarka came to Denmark in August 2019 when she got acceptance in Service, Hospitality and Tourism Management program at UCN Aalborg. She brought all her savings so that she could focus on her studies while looking for a part time job. It was difficult to find a job and I consumed all my savings and I have to call my family back in Hungary for help during the last months of 2019 say Boglarka.

    After five months of trying, Boglarka found a job in a restaurant in Aalborg in January. I was so relieved that I finally got a job and I didn’t have to worry whether I would have money for the next month rent or not said Boglarka. She was then eligible for SU under the EU law as she started a job. She was fulfilling the number of hours requirement and got SU for the first time for February 2020 at the end of January and similarly she got SU for March.

    At the beginning of February, Corona virus crisis started hitting economies around the world and at the end of February Denmark also saw economic downfall. Hotels and Restaurants were first to suffer the most and many restaurants started firing employees. I was called less for work even in February but I managed to work for the required number of hours for February says Boglarka. After the Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced the lockdown, I received a message from my employer that I am not required any more. As a part time foreign worker and my employer circumstances, I could not avail the Govt Corona Help Package nor I am allowed to take any other sort of benefits says Boglarka.

    Read more: Sad and Unrealistic: EU students could not work amid Corona lockdown and are now told to Pay back SU money

    Boglarka received a letter from Styrelsen for Institutioner og Uddannelsesstøtte along a bill of DKK 16,424 at the end of March. Boglarka was told to return all the SU amount she received for February, March and April. The reason mentioned in the letter is that she could not fulfil the 10 hours per week rule for a continuous period of 10 weeks. My life went up side down when I received the letter that I need to return all the SU amount i.e. DKK 16.424. Though the updates on SU official website did state that there will be special consideration regarding the SU amid COVID-19 but Borlarka says she has been treated otherwise. Borlarka have filed an appeal but she says that many others students appeal has been rejected so she is afraid that she will also be not entertained.

    A bill of DKK 16,424 that Boglarka, an EU student is told to pay back after she could not continue her work amid Corona crisis.

    Empathy and Understanding required

    After the lockdown, Denmark went to a standstill position where business were shutdown and people were told to stay home. In these circumstances, it is obvious that no body would work and neither can anyone show any number of hours of work. These EU students have to stay home without work. It will be irrational and unfair to demand number of hours of work or income from these studnets.

    If Danish government understand the situation and show some empathy, solution might be quite simple. As government has announced to pause 225 hours of work per year rule for Danish national getting cash help from March to June, and suspended the handshake requirement for new citizens during the corona crisis, similarly 10 hours work rule for EU students can also be suspended during this crisis.

    In these times of uncertainty, all I’m asking for is understanding and empathy towards these students. We should be socially distant, but still together in heart” says Boglarka. She believes it will only be fair if Govt freeze the 10 hours per week work rule for the period from March to June. This will give EU students the chance to start their work again and focus on studies without worrying of paying back the SU amount.

    Unfair: Irfan can neither get Corona Package nor A-Kasse but asked to show income to extend residency despite losing job

    Danish Govt needs to understand Immigrants situation after COVID-19. Photo: Raisul Jhilan

    Denmark is one of the few European countries re-opening its businesses and gradually getting to normal after the Corona lockdown. Apart from global pandemic and health crisis, economy has also seen a huge downfall. Thousands have lost their jobs while hundreds of businesses have shutdown. Although COVID-19 has indiscriminately hit everyone, whether local or immigrant but immigrants are the one who have to face the aftershocks of COVID-19 in the shape of strict Danish immigration laws. One might justify these strict rules in normal circumstances but demanding the same level of income and work amid COVID-19 is not only unfair but inhumane.

    Read more: Danish Govt demand immigrants to show annual income or be ready for deportation despite corona lockdown

    Irfan Ali, a fictitious name, who has been living in Denmark since 2011 is in a real dilemma after the COVID-19 crisis. Irfan lives in a small town called Farum but travel to Copenhagen for work. He has been working in a restaurant in Copenhagen centrum since January, 2017. After completing his 8 years in Denmark, Irfan applied for Permanent Residency permit in July, 2019.

    There are number of conditions before one can be eligible to apply for Permanent Residency in Denmark. Apart from residing 8 years one must have worked full time 3,5 years in last 4 years (under 8 years scheme). In any month if one has worked less than 120 hours, that month will not be counted as full time work, thus prolonging the process by one month subsequently. S/he must have passed Danish language test (Danske Prøve PD 2) and must continue to work after submission of Permanent Residency application.

    One of the conditions for applying for PR is to fulfil the conditions of your current visa. For instance, if a person is on an accompanying spouse visa, s/he must fulfil first accompanying spouse visa requirement similarly family reunification visa holders, pay limit scheme holders, green card holders etc must all first meet the requirement of their current visa before applying for PR. Irfan, thus have to meet his current visa requirement i.e. to show an annual income of over DKK 300,000 in the last 12 months before he can apply for PR.

    Irfan full time work in the restaurant was not fulfilling the income requirement, thus he started a part time job of 15 hours per week in June 2018. This part time job added with full time work made him fulfil the annual income requirement for PR in July 2019 that was when Irfan applied for Permanent Residency.

    Though the expected maximum processing time for PR applications mentioned on SIRI website is 8 months but now it have been over 9 months and Irfan is still waiting for his final decision while he got his visa extension decision in November, 2019. As per rules, until you have not received final decision on PR application, you must show a continuous work which has put Irfan in real dilemma.

    Read more: Denmark migrant workers face another battle amid COVID-19 with mandatory work despite economic lockdown and fear of corona infection

    COVID-19 crisis started hitting economies around the world in mid-February and at the end of February, Denmark also came under its pressure. Restaurants were first to suffer so by 10th of March Irfan’s employer decided to fire employees due to low business and Irfan was one of them. After over 3 years, 12th of March was his last day at work in the restaurant. Luckily Irfan continue to work in his part time job and gets some income to survive.

    As Irfan got fired from work so he is not eligible for government Corona Package. His only source of income now is his part time job. Irfan is living with his wife and two kids, 7 years old daughter going to primary school in grade 2 and 4 years old son attending kindergarten. I usually was getting over DKK 20,000 as salary after taxes but now I get less than DKK 7,000 which has made it impossible to met my expenses says Irfan. I am searching for jobs but it is almost impossible to get a job during these crisis.

    Although Irfan has been a member of unemployment insurance called A-Kasse since 2012 and is eligible to avail it but he still can not avail A-kasse despite he is in desperate need of extra income. After a year of residing in Denmark, I decided to become member of unemployment insurance as you never know when you going lose your job. But as an immigrant I have always been in dilemma whether to take A-kasse for which I pay every month or not because it will have impact on my visa says Irfan. Now that I need A-kasse the most, I still can not take it as my PR application is under process and I have to meet the current work requirement which means I need to continue working. I just pray God that I do not lose my part time job otherwise I will have no money to pay my rent plus my PR application will also be rejected for which I have struggled for 8 years says Irfan.

    Solution for Irfan and thousands more!

    There are thousands of immigrants who have either lost their jobs or told to stay home after the COVID-19 crisis. This has reduced their income to zero or minimal thus they not only face financial crisis apart from corona fear but they might lose the right to stay in Denmark as they could not fulfil the income and work requirement for visa extension or PR or family reunification applications.

    There is quite a simple solution which will not only help Irfan settle down and get positive PR decision for which he has worked hard for 8 years but also thousands of immigrants can breathe peacefully. If government suspend these income and work requirements during these crisis lets say from March to June like they have suspended 225 hours of work per year rule for Danish national getting cash help from March to June, and the handshake requirement for new citizens during the corona crisis than everyone will have a fair chance to fulfil the requirements. Otherwise it will not only be unfair but inhumane to demand continuous work and income from these immigrants during the lockdown while they have lost their jobs due to corona crisis and finding a new job is not an option these days.

    Corona after shocks in Denmark! An EU student told to pay back DKK 52,866 “SU” Student Grant after she lost job amid Corona crisis

    Blanka Papp, an EU Student received a bill of DKK 52,866 from Danish Education authority to pay back the Student grants money SU after she could not show continuous work amid Corona Crisis. Photo: Blanka Papp

    While Corona is getting under control in Denmark and more businesses are opening but it might be the start of another epidemic for immigrants in Denmark. It has certainly started for European students as Blanka Papp, an EU student received a bill of DKK 52,866 from education authorities in Denmark after she lost her job amid corona crisis.

    EU students in Danish educational institutions can be eligible for Denmark State Education Support called Statens Uddannelsesstøtte (SU) if they show equal status to Danish citizens under the EU laws. They can show equal status by working 10 hours per week for a period of consecutive 10 weeks while they are studying in Denmark. In case they could not show continuous 10 weeks work, they will be told to return back all the SU money.

    Read more: Sad and Unrealistic: EU students could not work amid Corona lockdown and are now told to Pay back SU money

    Blanka Papp, 24 years old Hungarian, is a fashion design EU student in Herning, Denmark. She came to Denmark in 2015 for work and study. She started her studies again in August 2019 that was when she became eligible and started getting SU money. Everything was going fine with her studies, work and SU until corona crisis started hitting Denmark.

    Blanka was working in a restaurant in Aarhus and was quite happy with her employer and colleagues. Although the restaurant industry was already hit by corona crisis since the mid of February but It got worse when on 11th of March PM Mette Frederiksen announced the complete lockdown. Since 13th March she is at home as her work place is locked due to corona lockdown. At the end of March, she got a letter from SU authorities that she has to return all the SU money back as she could not fulfil the 10 hours work per week rule. She than send a detailed email to SU authorities explaining her situation as how the corona lockdown has stoped her from work.

    Despite all the explanations, on 14th April, Blanka got a letter from SU authorities along two bills of DKK 52,866 which she has to pay by 8th of July, 2020.

    I have been living in Denmark for almost 5 years and I have been working and studying these years. I have respected every law and followed the Danish way of life. But this will be a shock for me if I have to pay 52,000 kr while I am still a student plus jobless says Blanka.  I feel it is injustice and to be honest I can not pay 52,000 kr. as I do not have any, I am still a student. I am worried as how to manage my rent after I lost my job and on top of that not only my SU is stopped but I am told to pay back over DKK 52,000. That will surely bring me on roads says Blanka Papp.

    Understanding, fairness and kindness can make it work

    There are probably thousands of such cases where EU students are told to pay back SU money though they have followed the law by staying home after the lockdown. The solution can be quite simple if Danish government wants to give a relief. As government has announced to pause 225 hours of work per year rule for Danish national getting cash help from March to June, and suspended the handshake requirement for new citizens during the corona crisis, similarly work and income requirements for Non-EU workers and 10 hours work rule for EU students can also be waived for the time being.

    Read more: Govt to suspend mandatory handshake for new citizens while Non-EU workers and EU students are told to show income and work despite Corona crisis

    Blanka Papp and thousands of such EU students will only have a peace of mind if this rule of 10 hours work per week is paused for the time of this crisis else thousands of EU students will have to face severe consequences.

    Govt to suspend mandatory handshake for new citizens while Non-EU workers and EU students are told to show income and work despite Corona crisis

    After a long fight by Enhedslisten and Radikale Venstre, the govt agrees to temporarily suspend the handshake requirement for granting citizenship. Photo Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix

    In December 2018, a bill was passed in the Danish parliament calling for foreigners to shake hand before they can be granted citizenship. Since then it has been a requirement and everyone who have been granted citizenship were supposed to shake hand.

    During the current corona crisis when authorities instruct to avoid handshakes, some 2700 new Danes were in line to be granted citizenship only waiting to shake hand. Social Democrats Minister Mattias Tesfaye stopped the citizenship ceremonies and these probable Danes were told to wait for further instruction probably until the pandemic is over. These applicants otherwise have fulfilled every requirement but only waiting to shake hand to be granted Danish citizenship.

    Read more: Tesfaye dropper midlertidigt krav om håndtryk for statsborgerskab

    Radikale Venstre and Enhedslisten parties have pressed strong to suspend the law for the time being. The decision comes after a week in which the minister did not want to answer whether handshakes at citizenship ceremonies should be paused, when the government itself is urging people not to shake hand because of the corona crisis. Today the Minister announced to suspend the handshake requirement temporarily which Radikale Venstre and Enhedslisten have been fighting for.

    On the other side, Non-EU workers like green card holders, pay limit scheme holders, Permanent Residency (PR) and family reunification (FR) applicants and EU students are still supposed to fulfil the work and income requirements despite the corona lockdown. Non-EU workers in Denmark are required to show an annual income to extend their visa while permanent residency and family reunification applicants are supposed to show annual income and a continuous full time work. EU students on the other side are required to show a 10 hours work per week for a continuous period of 10 week before they can be granted Education Support Grants called SU. After the current corona crisis many of these workers and students lost their jobs or told to stay home. Thus they could not fulfil the income and work requirements but government continue to demand to show income and work otherwise their visa will not be extended or their applications for PR and FR will be rejected or EU students have to return all the SU money back.

    Read more: Sad and Unrealistic: EU students could not work amid Corona lockdown and are now told to Pay back SU money

    While these workers and students have lost their jobs with non of their faults but government continues to demand income and continuous work. Although there has been demand from immigrants and political parties like Enhedslisten and Radikale venstre to suspend these requirements for the time being but Social democrats and Danish Peoples Party continue to demand to fulfil these requirements.

    Read more: Denmark migrant workers face another battle amid COVID-19 with mandatory work despite economic lockdown and fear of corona infection

    It is indeed a good step to suspend the handshake requirement for new citizens and it is welcomed by immigrants but government must also suspend the illogical and unrealistic work and income requirements for visa extension, PR, family reunification applications and EU students. How can I continue to show 10 hours work per week when everything is closed and government is the one who closed it says Blanka an EU student. I am told to return back all SU money only because I could not show 10 hours work per week. I think it is unfair says Boglarka another EU student.

    While the government suspension of handshake is welcomed but they are criticised over their demand from Non-EU workers and EU students to continue to show income and work. It will only be fair if these requirements of work and income are also suspended for time being like the handshake requirement.

    Generous Danish landlord offered immigrant tenant 3 months rent relief after losing job amid COVID-19 crisis. Will Danish Govt act likewise

    Generous Danish landlord offered immigrant tenant 3 months rent relief after losing job amid COVID-19 crisis. Will Danish Govt act likewise. Photo: MOFA Denmark

    Danes are usually reserved and talk less, especially with strangers or people they have just met. It is hard to make Danish friends whether at university or at work or else where. A study of international students at DTU reveals that the Danish friends circle is usually close-knit, but once you are in, then they open up and become helpful and understanding.

    Nerrisa Rose Weis is an expat residing in Denmark since 2007. She came to Denmark under an expatriate work contract. She is a single mom and living with her 14 years old son in the outskirts of Copenhagen in Hellerup.

    After the current Corona crisis unfolded, thousands of businesses shutdown while millions of people reported unemployment around the world. In Denmark around 43,000 people registered as unemployed just in two weeks from 9th March to 24th March, 2020 and the numbers are much higher now. Nerrisa was one of those who lost their jobs. Though the government announced the historic Corona Help Package for employers and employees but not all can benefit from it. Employees can only avail the package if they are not fired from work. As Nerrisa got fired from work so she could not avail the compensation.

    Read more: Denmark migrant workers face another battle amid COVID-19 with mandatory work despite economic lockdown and fear of corona infection

    Considering her expenses and the current crisis, Nerrisa decided to approach her landlord for a relief on rent. Nerrisa has been renting her current apartment for three years now from her landlord. After sharing her story, Nerrisa got a very positive response from the landlord – a Dane.

    The generous Dane gave a relief and told Nerrisa that she only needs to pay 2/3 of her rent for the next three months i.e. April, May and June. Not everyone who lost their jobs is provided with an acute lifeline like Nerrisa. Through she still has to beat the odds of finding a job and earn money to afford the home with her 14 years old son but the relief her landlord has given make us believe that kindness in humanity exist and it is always good to approach others for help at the time of crisis. This gesture of the Danish landlord reminds us that Danes are helpful and understanding once you approach them. It will surely strengthen the bond between the landlord and tenant.

    Read more: It would be unfair to deport foreign workers hit by coronavirus lockdown

    While the generous Dane came forward and extended support to the unemployed single mother, Non-EU workers and EU students are still looking for some miracle to happen. Non-EU workers e.g. pay limit scheme holders or green card holders are required to show an annual income and continuous work if they desire to continue their stay in Denmark. During this corona crisis and especially after the lockdown thousands of Non-EU workers lost their jobs or are told to stay home. It has resulted in either no income or less than required income for those immigrants. They will either be told to leave Denmark or their Permanent Residency (PR) or family reunification (FR) applications will be rejected. One prime example, a green card holder (who wish to remain anonymous) who has been working in the tourism industry for the last 5 years, was told by his employer on Monday, 16th March, to stay home until further notice. It will be hard for him to find another job in the current crisis. His visa extension is due in December this year for which he has to show DKK 317,681 as an annual income or he must leave Denmark.

    Read more: Denmark: Corona Virus economic crisis may result in thousands of immigrants losing their work permits

    EU students are another group who have to face one more battle during corona crisis. In Denmark, students are paid certain amount of money called SU each month. EU students are paid this amount on the condition that they have to show 10 hours work each week for a continuous period of 10 weeks. In case any student could not show 10 hours work in these consecutive 10 weeks, they will be told to return all the money they have received so far as SU.

    Boglarka Makari, an EU student in UCN Aalborg could not continue her job after the lockdown. She still received a letter from the SU department asking her to return back all the SU amount i.e. DKK 16.424. The reason mentioned in the letter is that she did not fulfil the 10 hours work per week rule. Though she was told to stay home by employer after the corona lockdown but still have to pay back the SU amount for which she has worked.

    Read more: Sad and Unrealistic: EU students could not work amid Corona lockdown and are now told to Pay back SU money

    Immigrants will suffer miserably if the same understanding and kindness is not shown to them by Danish government like the one Nerrisa received from her Danish landlord. As Nerrisa has been paying her rent on time and taking care of the apartment,  in return, her landlord understood her situation and offered her relief when she direly needed it. It is the same for immigrants who have been working hard over the years and paying taxes, and now when it comes time for the government to respond with kindness and fairness especially in this global pandemic, it should respond positively.

    As a common Dane, Nerrisa’s landlord showed how Danes should react in a time of crisis like this pandemic. Now it is time for the Danish government to respond positively to those Non-EU workers and EU students. If the Danish government exempts the three months income and work requirements for workers and students, or freeze these requirement during the current crisis, it will not only give a peace of mind to those immigrants but, more importantly, the bond with Denmark will be even stronger as they will feel that they’re a valuable part of the country they already call home.

    Naqeeb Khan is a research graduate of the University of Glasgow, Scotland and currently resides in Denmark. He is president of Green Human Resources and an executive member with the Danish Green Card Association (DGCA). He can be contacted via email.

    Sad and Unrealistic: EU students could not work amid Corona lockdown and are now told to Pay back SU money

    Blanka Papp an EU student and worker victim of COVID-19 crisis told to pay back over 50,000 kr. by Danish authorities. Photo: Son Le

    Denmark is one of the few places in the world where you are paid during your study period. There are various laws and ways under which you can be eligible to State Education Support called Statens Uddannelsesstøtte (SU). As a Danish national, you need to meet certain conditions thereafter you are ready to go. The second category is of those foreigners who can show equal status and get SU under Danish rules. One can get SU under Danish laws if you came to Denmark with your parents, you are married to a Danish citizen, you have worked in Denmark, you have resided in Denmark for a minimum of 5 years, you belong to the Danish minority in Southern Slesvig or you fall within Section 2 (2) (refugees) or Section 2 (3) (aliens granted family reunification) of the Act on Integration of Aliens in Denmark

    The third category is of those foreigners who can get SU by showing equal status with Danish citizen under the EU Laws. If you are either a citizen of an EU/EEA country or are related to a citizen of an EU/EEA country you can get equal status. Under this category, you have to fulfil the conditions of either a worker or retained worker or you have resided in Denmark for five years.

    Read more: SU as a foreign citizen

    Boglarka Makari (photo: Boglarka) has been receiving SU under the third category by getting equal status as a worker and studying. Boglarka, an Hungarian student, came to Denmark in August 2019 when she got her acceptance in Service, Hospitality and Tourism Management program at UCN Aalborg. She started a new chapter in her life with her dream place Denmark. I have always looked up to Denmark and wanted to study and live here said Boglarka. I brought all my savings so that I can focus on my studies while I look for a part time job. It was difficult to find a job and I consumed all my savings and I have to call my family back in Hungary for help during the last months of 2019 say Boglarka.

    After five months of trying, Boglarka found a job in a restaurant in Aalborg in January, 2020. I was so relieved that I finally got a job and I didn’t have to worry whether I would have money for the next month rent or not said Boglarka. She was then eligible for SU under the EU law as she started a job. It is worth to note here that when you are getting SU under EU laws you must not only work but fulfil one more condition and that is the number of hours of work per week. EU student must not only work but show that they have been working at least 10 hours per week and 43 hours per month for a continuous period of 10 weeks. In case one could not show 10 hours per week during these consecutive 10 weeks, s/he will have to return the whole of SU amount back.

    Read more: SU as a worker or a self-employed person under EU law

    Everything was going smoothly for Boglarka and she was enjoying the Danish life and her dream of studying in Denmark. She was fulfilling the number of hours requirement and got SU for the first time for February at the end of January and similarly she got SU for March. She never thought that the outbreak of a virus in the Chinese city of Wuhan could change her life.

    Corona virus crisis started hitting economies around the world in early February but Denmark was safe until end of February. After Denmark got her first coronavirus case on 27th February, businesses started shutting down and employees were being fired. It got worse when on 11th of March PM Mette Frederiksen announced the complete lockdown. Boglarka said I was so afraid when I heard that PM has announced the lockdown as I thought, I will lose my job. Even before that I was not called for work as it was not that busy but after the lockdown I received a message from my employer that I am not required any more. As a part time foreign worker, I am neither eligible for Govt Corona Help Package nor I am allowed to take any other sort of benefits.

    Read more: Corona crisis lengthens the job queue: The number of new vacant rounds is 40,000

    Boglarka was still hopeful that though she is not working anymore but she has SU and she can survive. I was glad to receive the SU for April month at the end of March though I could not show my working hours. I thought Govt must have given a relief and paused the 10 hours rule as it should because of the corona lockdown. But my life went up side down when I received a letter from SU department that I need to return all the 3 months SU i.e. DKK 16.424. Now here I am, alone in a foreign country, without savings under the global corona pandemic and on top of that I am told to pay back over 16,000 kr. while the next month rent is up on my head. Though the updates on SU official website did state that there will be special consideration regarding the SU amid COVID-19 but Borlarka says she has been treated otherwise. Borlarka have filed an appeal but she says that many others students appeal has been rejected so she is afraid that she will also be not entertained.

    Blanka Papp (photo: Blanka Papp), the 24 years old fashion design EU student in Herning is facing the similar situation. Though she has been living in Denmark since 2015 but she started studying again from August 2019. She has been working and receiving SU from August 2019 but since 13th March she is at home as her work place is closed due to corona lockdown. She also got a letter from SU department that she has to pay back the whole amount of SU from August 2019 to April 2020 which probably will be around 50,000 kr. I have been living in Denmark for almost 5 years and I have been working and studying all these years. I have respected every law and followed the Danish way of life. But this will be a shock for me if I have to pay 50,000 kr while I am still a student plus jobless.

    Way out and recommendations

    There are probably thousands of such cases where EU students are told to pay back SU money though they have followed the law by staying home after lockdown. I feel it is injustice and to be honest I can not pay 50,000 kr. as I do not have any, I am a student says Blanka Papp. I could only say that Govt should give a relief to EU student amid the corona pandemic and pause this 10 hours rule.

    Boglarka says I doubt, I will have money to pay my rent leave apart SU as I am jobless and in current circumstances it is almost impossible to find a new job. In these times of uncertainty, all I’m asking for is understanding and empathy towards these students. We should be socially distant, but still together in heart.” She believes it will be fair if Govt freeze the 10 hours per week work rule for the period from March to June. This will give EU students the chance to start their work again and focus on studies without worrying of paying for food or rent.

    Read more: ‘‘Unreasonable and sad’: Moumen has lost his job but risks his residence permit if he gets help

    The solution can be quite simple if Govt wants to give a relief. As govt has announced to pause 225 hours of work per year rule for Danish national getting cash help from March to June, similarly work and income requirements for Non-EU workers and 10 hours work rule for EU students must be paused so that they feel included otherwise thousands of immigrants will have to face severe consequences.

    Naqeeb Khan is a research graduate of the University of Glasgow, Scotland and currently resides in Denmark. He is president of Green Human Resources and an executive member with the Danish Green Card Association (DGCA). He can be contacted via email.

    SIRI prolonged the closure of offices while deadline for recording biometrics remain the same; making it hard for Immigrants

    Biometrics deadline remain the same while SIRI offices are closed until 10th of May. Photo: freeeducator

    After the Prime Minister press conference on Monday 6th April, it was announced that Denmark will gradually be re-opened. In the first phrase, day care and schools kids under grade 5 will re-open Denmark. The rest of Denmark will continue to be closed until 10th of May.

    SIRI has updated their website on 8th of April and issued a statement that it will remain closed until and including 10th of May, 2020. SIRI offices in Copenhagen, Odense, Aarhus, Aalborg and Aabenraa has been closed from 12th March (day included) which will make closure for 2 months on 10th of May.

    Read more: SIRI’s Citizen Centres are closed for visitors until and including 10 May

    On 2nd of April, SIRI announced that biometrics features can be recorded up to 2 months which in normal circumstances is 14 days. After the new closure dates, the 2 months extension will still not work. Many immigrants will still be unable to record their biometrics features within 2 months. There are many immigrants who have applied for visa extension before 10th of March which will make them unable to record biometrics features within 2 months as SIRI will remain close until 10th of May.

    Read more: Biometric features can now be recorded up to 2 month after submission of your Danish visa extension and PR application

    SIRI needs to extend the deadline further so everyone will be able to record their biometrics features.

    Opinion: Re-opening of Denmark amid COVID-19: Are Children at the Crossroad?

    The School and Parents Organisation encourages nervous parents to wait for further
    guidelines regarding the reopening plans. Photo: mgorthand / istock

    Denmark was locked down amid the COVID-19 outbreak on 13th March. Though the lock down has flattened the curve of corona infected figures but it has already made substantial impact on the economy with businesses shot downed and unemployment rates at highest. The govt announced a generous package but economy can only be recovered if it starts kicking.

    Read more: Corona crisis: The number of unemployed crosses record 40,000

    Considering various aspect, the Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen announced that Denmark will be re-opened gradually right after Easter holidays from 15th April. Contrary to the popular thoughts, she declared that kindergarten and up to 5th grade school kids will open Denmark. The announcement received criticism from public and some authorities while some experts say it makes sense to let kids be first to open Denmark. But do parents agree and will they send their children to the kindergarten and school? Will children be as safe in their institutions as they used to be less than a month ago? The list of bewilderment goes on.

    Read more: Minister: It counts as absence if the children are kept at home

    Simply said, the PM and her cabinet seem to be very confident on children being the least
    vulnerable group from the pandemic Covid-19. As of now there has been no fatality recorded for the children below the age of 10 while the fatality rate of children between the age of 10-19 years has been merely 0.2 percentage globally.

    Talking about Denmark, until 6th of April some 47,240 people have been tested and nearly 10 per cent i.e. 4,681 have been positive while 4 percent of the infected have been reported dead according to the data provided by the health ministry. Digging deep into the data shows that there has been a significant fall in the number of people tested positive. The percentage of positive cases was 11.3% of the total tested between 27th of January and 22nd of march while it was 16.5% on 28th of March. Since then there has been constant decrease on the cases tested positive dropping the figure to 7.8% on the 5th of April. It is also worth noting that except in the last two days, the number of tests conducted was in increasing order, resulting in the increased number of infected cases.

    Now the question is, can we rely on the data and announce the reopening of Denmark? Has the curve really flattened and can the couple of days’ decreasing number of positive cases be enough evidence to support the decision? What if the case gets worse during the Easter holiday and the number rises again in a couple of weeks? The evident fact is that the person infected may take up to two weeks, in some cases even more, for any symptoms. And the number of infected persons this single person may transmit the virus to may go up while those newly transmitted may transmit to innumerable other new ones, which can be horrifying. The government until now has been pleading the public to maintain the social distance during the shutdown. By and large, the public had avoided the congregation of more than ten people as per the government’s urge. This must have been the reason, among few others, why the number of positive cases seems to be under control.

    However, with the possible mobility after the kindergarten and primary school opens, the parents will come in contact with each other unintentionally and the school staff will see each other resulting in larger gatherings. This will make the kindergarten and the school a likely prone zone if even a single person is infected and then the multiplying number will outwit the decision of re-opening such institutions. With the opening of kindergartens and schools, the mobility is obvious to go higher in supermarkets and other groceries, which are going to be other risk-involved places. Not to forget, the Easter holiday may witness some secret assemblies and gatherings with increased risk.

    Read more: Minister: No schools and institutions have to reopen until everything is in place

    Considering public outrage and continuous worldwide outbreak, the Danish authorities has to take the decision back since the virus will still play its role for a little while longer and there still prevails the risk of transmission. But the situation after a couple of more weeks is definitely going to be different from what it is now. More importantly, the initial signs of flattening curves in the hard-hit countries like Italy, Spain, Germany and France will mature, giving enough of hint, if not concrete evidence, which direction the Corona crisis is heading to. Based on these data, a relatively easy, yet convincing decision could be taken. Not only the people of Denmark but from most of the countries around the world have been admiring the decision of Danish government in early sealing of its borders and detachment of its sky route with the other parts of the
    world. The result has paid with the cases being limited to less than 5000 infected ones until now while many countries have been hit worse.

    Read more: Professor: »Børn er meget lidt modtagelige for corona. Dette er absolut ikke en dristig plan

    Having said that, one cannot disregard the economic loss the country has faced in the past three weeks or so. On top of that is the approximately DKK 2.5 trillion’s help package, the government has announced to compensate the companies hit by the crisis, is an added burden on the government. Additionally, the increasing discourse of ‘a great recession, if not a great depression, is another factor which the government might have taken into consideration while deciding the re-opening of Denmark. Besides, a higher unemployment, increased level of stress among the public, debt, and many more awaiting crisis could have also been taken into consideration by the government.

    However, the key concern is who would benefit ultimately if an extra prolonged week of closure is announced? The answer is obvious, the citizens of Denmark. This extra week of added lock down could be the time when the public make up their mind that the re-opening
    is right at our doorstep. Besides, the public will feel relatively safer to send their children to schools and they could resume their work with relative ease and less worry which would ultimately become the key for the government to win both the heart and trust of its people.

    By: Roshan K. Khatiwada
    Master’s student
    International Development and Global Studies
    Roskilde University

    Editor: Naqeeb Khan

    Minister accepted the parents cry! No schools and institutions have to reopen until all guidelines are met

    Minister of Children and Education Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil in the Parliament. Photo: Peter Hove Olesen

    After the two days of hassle between parents and the authorities, it is now announced that schools and institutions will not reopen until they show that all guidelines are met. Minister of Children and Education Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil (S) said at a press conference on Wednesday that if day care and schools are not ready until April 15 they should not reopen.

    Like the rest of the government and health authorities, Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil has been criticised after it was announced that children from the 5th grade and below should return to schools and day care centres immediately after Easter.

    Read more: Minister: No schools and institutions have to reopen until everything is in place

    Several mayors have been, among others, saying that there are a lot of challenges that need to be resolved before the reopening – and that it cannot be achieved.

    But Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil assured at a press conference that schools and institutions should not open until all health guidelines are met.

    Read more: Education Minister: Send children school or be responsible for your children education!

    The guidelines for the schools and institutions mean, among other things, that there must be two meters between the tables in the classrooms and that there must be a very large focus on hand hygiene. There are also specific recommendations for dining. If schools and institutions can not meet these guidelines than we will present another solution instead of reopening.

    Biometric features can now be recorded up to 2 month after submission of your Danish visa extension and PR application

    Deadline for recording biometrics is extended Phone: biometricupdate

    After the current corona luck down citizen centres of both the Danish Immigration Service and SIRI are closed. Therefore, SIRI and Danish Immigration Services around the world have extended the deadline for recording biometrics features up to 2 months which in normal circumstances is 14 days.

    Your submitted application will still be processed but decision will only be taken when biometrics features are recorded.

    Read more: Deadline for recording of biometric features extended up to 2 months

    The SIRI website still states that it will be closed until and including the 13 April 2020 but it might have updates for which you need to keep an eye on the SIRI website.

    For more details please follow newtodenmark.dk/corona and the website of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.